Director Jérôme SALLE came to meet students at ESRA Thursday on March 10. His film Zulu was screened before the meeting.
Jérôme SALLE left school early and started working at the age of 16. First as an assistant photographer for the press, then as an art director, he wanted to tell stories, but didn't feel legitimate. In 2000, he finally decided to direct a short film. Spotted by a producer, he wrote and directed his first feature film, Anthony Zimmer, with Sophie MARCEAU and Yvan ATTAL. He didn't go to film school, but trained himself with a friend by deconstructing scripts and trying to understand how films were constructed.
He enjoys making adaptations, as this allows him to situate the project from the outset. Jérôme SALLE shoots most of his films abroad, as he enjoys traveling and exploring new worlds, both visually and culturally. He distinguishes between two main types of scene: camera-driven and actor-driven.
The subject of directing actors was discussed at length with the students, in particular how he meets actors and directs them. For Jérôme SALLE, an actor gives himself up and generates a strong act of trust when acting in a film. He's a great believer in reading, discussing and questioning before shooting. For him, the whole point of filmmaking is to make the film ring true, and to find the right rhythm when editing. His editor edits as the shoot progresses.
Jérôme SALLE spoke to the students about shooting Zulu in South Africa. In particular, he talked about the rules governing shooting time abroad, as well as the action scenes, which are worked on extensively before shooting with actors and stand-ins. He also talked about the shooting of his new film Kompromat, which took place in Berlin and will be released in September.
